


It's There

by Writing-Stardew-Valley (writingfanfic)



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Depression, F/M, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 03:15:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14535450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingfanfic/pseuds/Writing-Stardew-Valley
Summary: For the prompt: 'A little angst because Shane is feelin' extra down, but the farmer distracts him from his own thoughts by chickens?'Chickens cure depression. Having owned them, this is true.





	It's There

“Hey, Marnie!” you smile, and Marnie beams at you as you walk in. “Shane here?”

“Out back with his other girls,” she teases, and you grin, walking into the kitchen. Jas is sitting on the table, eating an apple, and she waves gleefully at you.

“Hey, (Y/N),” she says, legs kicking, and you offer her your hand for a hi-five, getting a sticky palm full of apple juice for your trouble. You wipe it on your overalls, and she looks at the door that leads out to the coop. “Are you here to see Shane?”

“Mmhmm,” you smile, and her face falls a little.

“He’s kinda sad today,” she says, quietly, and your stomach twists. Shane, at the least, is usually good at hiding it from Jas, if  _nobody_  else. He thinks the world of the little girl, and if she’s seen it, it  _can’t_  be good. “He started drinking his grown-up drinks already.”

You put your arm around her and she hugs you, before brightening up again.

“But you’re gonna cheer him up, aren’t you, (Y/N)?” she says, and you nod. You hope so. If he’s started drinking already… You smile at her, and wave goodbye as she once again become absorbed in her apple. You pull the door open, and make your way into the coop, seeing him sitting at the back with a can.

“Shane?” you say, gently, closing the door behind you, and he looks up at you. His eyes are a little bleary, but he offers a taut smile that seems all him, and you sit opposite him as the chickens cluck around you.

“Hey, (Y/N). Guess you caught me… uh…” He gestures at the can. “Is it noon yet? Or do I have to pretend I can’t tell time?” You reach over and gently squeeze his leg, and privately resolve to speak to Harvey as soon as you possibly can. “Yeah. Uh… today just got… real rough, real fast.”

“Talk to me,” you say, gently, and Charlie comes clucking up towards the two of you. He knows he’s Shane’s beloved pet, and Shane gently runs his fingers down the nape of the rooster’s neck, before scooping him up and putting him on his knee.

“I am never going to amount to anything. Goddamn it, most guys my age are on their third affair with their secretary.” You smile at that, and he shrugs. “It’s just so damn hard when Jas looks at me like I’m her hero, you kn-know-” You see his eyes well up a little, and crawl over, brushing hay from your hands before you wrap yourself around him; Charlie gives that weird little chuckle that chickens do, and lays his head across you.

“You are her hero. You’re a gruff bastard but you’re not… dislikeable.” You smile gently at him. “You’re very likeable. I like you. At least.” He smiles ruefully at you, and you lean in, kissing his cheek. “Oh, my poor Shane.”

“Don’t pity me. I don’t need it. I’m… just pathetic.” You shake your head, and point at Charlie, who looks at your finger in confusion.

“Charlie doesn’t think that. Charlie thinks you’re great.”

“…he’s got a brain the size of a peanut,” Shane says, slowly, and you start giggling. Thankfully, so does he. “So a dumb chicken and a dumb you like me.”

“Jas likes you. And I know you don’t think she’s dumb.”

“That girl is smarter than you, me  _and_  Charlie, added up,” Shane says, and you nod. “Fine. Okay. But she’s a kid. She doesn’t see… how dark it gets. What it’s like. She doesn’t see what I could’ve been-”

“No. Exactly. She sees what you are.” You take the can – it’s empty, which is upsetting, but if it’s only the one, maybe that’ll be okay. You doubt it is – and crush it, hiding it behind your back, and then pull him into a cuddle. “The chickens love you.”

“The chickens all have peanut brains, we’ve been through this.” But he’s smiling.

“So? So do most people.” He snorts. “You’re gonna be King of the Chickens one day. And I’ll be Queen of the Farm, and we can unite our kingdoms.” A smile is plastered across his mouth now. “The pitter-patter of tiny blue chicken feet…”

“You got this planned, haven’t you?” he smiles, and you nod firmly. “Okay. Okay. And we’ll sell these blue chickens, and…”

“Become the Blue Chicken Monarchs.”

“Isn’t that Seb, Sam and Abby’s band?” he teases back, and you know you’ve got him then – you kiss him, and stand up, pulling him to his feet – Charlie flutters off, squawking angrily. He holds you, and as the two of you walk outside, Jas looks up at you.

“You’re happy again,” she beams, and Shane nods. “It’s only for a little while, but it’s there,” she adds, and you see a little pain in Shane’s eyes. He leans forward and picks her up, and she smiles again. “Shane, you have hay in your hair!”

“Sure do, little Jasmine,” he smiles. “Come on. You, me and (Y/N) are gonna go spend some time at the farm. You like that?”


End file.
